Riteish wrote: "Honourable Minister, It is true that I had visited the Taj/Oberoi but untrue that I was there while the 'Shooting and Bombing' was happening as you claimed. It is true that I had accompanied my father but untrue that he was trying to get me a role in a film. He never ever spoke to a director or a producer to cast me in film & I take pride in that."

The actor's remark comes after Goyal had accused Vilasrao Deshmukh of finding a role for his son when the 2008 Mumbai attacks took place. "I am from Mumbai. You might remember the 26/11 terror attack. The then Congress government was weak and could not do anything. The then chief minister (Vilasrao Deshmukh) had brought a film producer outside Oberoi Hotel while shooting and bombing was going on inside. CM was concerned about getting his child a film role," Goyal said on Sunday.

The Union Minister also termed the erstwhile United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government led by former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh as a “coward government.” "Our armed forces were capable then too but the decision was to be taken by the leadership. The security forces kept hoping that they would be allowed to give a befitting reply but they were not allowed to take action. That was a coward government," Goyal added.